Healthy skin tip #4: Manage your stress

Stress is not your friend! We all know it – but how does it specifically affect your skin and face?

Stress causes your body to release larger amounts of certain chemicals, including cortisol, adrenaline and DHEA (which is made by your adrenal glands, and which your body then converts into estrogen or testosterone).

These substances are not inherently bad – you'll even find DHEA sometimes called "the youth hormone." However! As with many natural body processes, too much is not a good thing. Elevated levels have some negative effects. For example, your immune system and anti-inflammatory abilities are both lowered by high levels of cortisol. These chemicals can also kick your sebaceous glands into high gear – resulting in overly oily skin.